A Dream of Love
by Last Marauder of Five
Summary: "She had to put an end to all those games. And thus, she made her choice." Elena has a dream that can change a lot of things. Delena
1. Realization

Disclaimer: Oh, if only I owned The Vampire Diaries... What, you think I do? Nope, sorry. I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

A Dream of Love

Chapter One- Realization

Elena stared out her room's window, watching as the sun shone brightly, inviting her to go outside. She didn't want to, not when she had so many things on her mind. She couldn't shake the memory of that dream out of her head.

_The living room was quiet. She hated it when she went downstairs to read a little on the couch and the night was completely silent. It always gave her the feeling that someone was outside, watching her, just waiting for her to make one wrong move so that they could kill her. Ever since Stefan had gone away, that feeling had been constantly haunting her during the nights. Elena knew she was in danger at all times, but something about the night made her even more scared._

_Tired of the tension slowly building up inside herself, she decided to go outside and prove to the irrational part of her mind that she had no reason to be more scared at that moment than she normally had._

_As her fingers brushed the doorknob, she had the distinct feeling that she did have a reason to be so scared, that there really was something waiting for her on the other side of the door. Brushing it aside as mere paranoia, Elena turned the handle and stepped outside, smiling as she saw that there was no one there. But as she turned around to go back inside, a strong hand grabbed her shoulder. She let out a cry as she felt sharp fangs ripping the skin off her neck and piercing her carotid artery._

_Elena tried to calm herself by thinking that the vampire, whoever they were, would let her go when they realized that she was wearing vervain. But as she felt the blood flowing freely out of her, she lost all and any grip she had on herself. Her heart started racing, making her bleed even more and she thrashed around, tears running down her face. Her vision started to fade as life slipped out her._

_She had already given up on saving herself when she heard a faint noise, followed by many screams. She couldn't identify the voice, but it brought her comfort and warmness. At least, if Elena died, she would die happy._

_Something was poured into her mouth and her senses started to return to normal. As her sight focussed and the black spots disappeared, she could see who had saved her. Damon. When she had most needed him, he was there for her. Not Stefan, him. Elena's rational side argued that the younger brother couldn't have been there, since he was paying the cure for his brother's werewolf bite with his servitude. But something inside her was telling her that it wasn't just that, that Damon had done many other things to earn her gratitude. She regretted that thought the minute it popped into her mind. It brought up so many other things, so many unsolved issues, suppressed feeling and memories._

_As Damon kneed beside her and stared into her chocolate eyes, she realized that she couldn't run anymore, she couldn't play hide-and-seek with her emotions. She had to confront them, she had to show them that she wasn't scared of them, because if she didn't, they would never stop chasing her. She had to put an end to all those games. And thus, she made her choice._

_- I love you, Damon. - Elena said._

_For the first time in what seemed like eternity, she felt truly safe and happy. No more running, no more hiding, no more lying. She said the words that would define her life for a long time with more confidence than she knew she had within her. Elena had never felt so sure of something than she felt of the fact that she loved Damon Salvatore._

The dream didn't seem to get off her mind. She didn't want to love him, but that dream was making her doubt the true nature of her relationship with the older brother. Elena always told herself that she was only friends with him, that she didn't feel anything for him, but what she had felt on that dream was love. She was sure of it. But she had never felt anything like that with Stefan. She hated herself for doubting her love for her ex-boyfriend, but she knew of only one person who made her feel that way. Damon. Every time she was with him, she could feel a little bit of the wonderful sensation she had felt on her dream. Never with Stefan, always with Damon.

She picked up her diary, wondering what she could possibly write about all what was going on in her mind. She thought about writing down her dream to see if it made more sense on paper, but she knew that it wouldn't make any difference. Elena knew exactly what her dream meant, she only didn't want to face it.

How one dream could change so much, cause so much doubt, Elena wasn't sure. She thought it might be her subconscious mind telling her something, but it wasn't telling her anything useful. For a long time, she had known that Damon awoke something within her and for a long time she had ignored it and buried it under all the things that the vampire had done that could keep her from liking him.

But she knew she couldn't keep it up anymore. That dream had taken away all of her defenses and thrown them away, making her vulnerable and forcing her to face reality. Maybe she had loved Stefan, maybe they had had something special. But what she could have with Damon was so much better. Stefan had left her, and he wasn't coming back. He had his chance, once he was free of Klaus' compulsion, to come back, but he hadn't. Damon was there for her, and he was never going to leave, she knew that.

Elena picked up her phone and started to dial his number, but stopped once she realized that she couldn't have that kind of talk through the telephone. With a nervous sigh, she slipped on the first jacket she saw, not carrying about whether she looked nice or not, and ran to the Boarding House.


	2. Revelation

Disclaimer: I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. I don't think I ever will, but I can hope, right?

Chapter Two- Revelation

When the doorbell rang, Damon was quite startled. Elena usually just walked into the house, especially since it was technically still hers, and he didn't get that many visitors. He ran to the door and opened it, smiling as he saw who it was. Elena. As he stepped aside for her to pass, she shyly walked in, not meeting the vampire's eyes.

- Is everything okay, Elena? - He asked, concern showing in his voice.

- Yes, I'm fine. - She replied

Not convinced, Damon lifted an eyebrow at her, expecting the girl to give up and tell him what was on her mind. She just shook her head. He was getting more worried by the second. Elena hardly ever kept things from him, and when she did she usually had a good reason, which only made him more curious and concerned. He didn't understand how he could keep her safe and protected if she wouldn't tell him what was bothering her. However, he refused to get the information by any means other than her, and since she didn't want to reveal what was on her mind, he would have to let it go.

- Damon, sit down. - She asked him.

He did as he was told, his eyebrows knitted. She carefully sat beside him, her gaze fixed on the floor.

- I had this dream last night where I was attacked by a vampire and you saved me. - Elena started, still not meeting Damon's eyes.

The vampire sighed in relief. Nothing had happened. She only had a nightmare. He was about to cut her off and scold her for getting him so worried when she resumed her story, her cheeks going red as she blushed.

- And I... I realized that I couldn't keep lying to myself, so I told you... I told you I loved you.

Damon didn't know what to say. It had been only a dream, but he knew that dreams often held truths and feeling that a person didn't realize they had. He wanted to kiss her and tell her that he loved her too, but he didn't know what she expected of him, what she wanted him to say or do. He was afraid that if he made a move he would lose her forever.

- I reflected a lot on my dream and I... I thought it was just a dream, but then... - She was cut of by Damon.

- Don't. - He said, simply.

He couldn't believe that she had gone over to his house and told him all that to just announce that it had been just a dream. She knew he loved him, she knew how much her words hurt him. He didn't want to hear explanations. He just wanted her to love him, but it was clear to him that that wouldn't happen. She loved Stefan and it would always be Stefan, it didn't matter how hard he tried to be the way she wanted him to be.

- Just... Just go, Elena. - He told her, his voice showing an edge of murderous irritation.

- But Damon... - She half yelled.

Her voice was desperate, but Damon didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to know why Stefan was better suited for her or how them dating just wasn't right. He had heard all that before, and he refused hear it again.

- Go, Elena! - He warned her once more.

She slowly got up, tears welling up on her eyes. Damon didn't even lift his gaze, which was resting on the floor. He wasn't going to look at her just to see the pity she had for him, the face of the person that he loved so much he would kill himself if it meant saving her, but who he knew that she would never love him back. The only hint of hope he that he had dared cultivate withered away the second she said it was only a dream.

- Damon... - She tried again, her voice no more than a whisper.

As he heard the pleading tone in her voice, half of him wanted to let her stay and speak, but the other half of him, the half to which he usually heard, the half that had been his guide for many years, was telling him that she wanted nothing more than to break his heart in a million pieces like Katherine had. The only difference was that when Katherine had told him that she didn't loved him, Elena had been there to help him pick up the pieces. If she broke him, no one would be there to glue him back together.

- Damon, please... - She cried.

He risked a look at her, though his self-preservation instinct was screaming that he shouldn't. He couldn't bear the way she looked, he couldn't bear to be the reason she was such a mess. Her eyes were as red as cheeks from crying and tears trailed down her cheeks freely. There was no way Damon could sit by while she suffered, even if she had hurt him so badly with her words.

- Alright. - He muttered, his tone softening a bit.

She walked back to the sofa, sobbing and wiping the tears of her face.

- It... it wasn't just a dream, Damon. I realized that I do... I do love you. - She finished her story and looked up.

As her words sinked into his mind, the vampire froze. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been, how he could have hurt her without even meaning to, thinking that she had been the one to hurt him, how he had jumped to conclusions without even hearing all what she had to say. But as he processed what she had told him, he realized that, though it was the best thing he had heard in quite a while, it was also very vague. She loved him, but he didn't know if she wanted to be with him. He couldn't do anything until he was sure that she was willing to let Stefan go. He wasn't going to get his hopes up, to allow himself to completely feel his love for her, just to find that she still wanted to go after his brother.

- Damon? Damon, say something! - She asked him.

He didn't know what he could say, so he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>**I was so happy when I opened my e-mail and saw how many review I had gotten! Thank you to all those who favorited, alerted and especially to the people who reviewed. Thanks!**

**If I get many reviews, I might just write and post the next chapter today... Don't worry, I'm writing the rest of the story anyway and I'll probably have the next chapter posted tomorrow, but reviews are always an incentive!**


	3. Complicated Situation

Disclaimer: Do you think I'd be writing fanfiction if I owned The Vampire Diaries? NO! I would be writing the episodes!

Chapter Three- Complicated Situation

- But... Stefan? - Damon asked, his voice no more than a whisper.

He regretted the words the moment they came out of his mouth. He knew he shouldn't go into that issue, not while they were still trying to work out how their relationship would proceed. His walls went up as he watched the girl frown and a million emotions flash on her eyes. Hurt, betrayal, sadness, but most of all the one thing that made hope spark on his mind again, acceptance. He felt himself relaxing a little, relieved that at least Elena wasn't angry at him for bringing up such a sensitive subject.

- I'll figure it out. I'm not going back to him when he returns, Damon. He's damaged our bond beyond easy repair. - She muttered, her eyes trying desperately to meet the vampire's.

Damon noted warily her use of the word easy. He didn't want her to ever go back to his brother, though he did want Stefan to be happy. He allowed his gaze to meet hers and tried to read her emotions. He wanted to know if she was sincere, if she really was ready to let his brother go, but he couldn't quite understand what he was seeing. He could sense so many emotions. Happiness, passion, confusion, but none of them hinted that she was lying. Satisfied, he allowed himself to just enjoy the chocolate sea that were her eyes.

He had dreamed of a day like that for months, a day when he had Elena wanting to be with him, saying that she loved him, but when it came, it wasn't like he had thought it would be. On his fantasies, she knocked on his door and told him that she loved him. Without a doubt on his mind, he scooped her up and kissed her as passionately as he could, trying to show her how much he loved her and how he could never lose her. But as it really happened, he was afraid that Elena would give up on him, that she would walk back to Stefan's arms the second he got back to normal, that she would forget what she felt while he was gone. But at the same time, he couldn't remember ever being happier. The small smile on his lips just wouldn't go away, even as terrible thoughts crossed his mind, thoughts of him losing her forever. He knew it wouldn't happen. He had done so much to hurt her, but still she loved him and admitted it.

However, as much as it pained him to do so, he had to be careful, he had to think before he opened his mouth, before he let his walls down. He didn't want to ruin his chance. After so much time, she had finally realized her feelings, or at least she had finally told him that she had them. If it was an once in a lifetime opportunity, he wasn't about to miss it.

All he wanted was to kiss her and say the four words that popped up in his mind every time he was around her, "I love you too", but he knew he couldn't. He had to wait until he was sure that she would be willing to give up on all what she had thought of her future, of spending it with Stefan, before he could make a move. Otherwise he would be signing in for a heartbreak. He had had enough of those.

- But will you give up on him, Elena? If he begs you to take him back, will you say no? - Damon asked her, a touch of sweetness showing on his voice.

When she didn't answer right away, Damon knew that she wasn't going to say yes. He hadn't really expected her to. She was too forgiving, both with him and with his brother. When he snapped Jeremy's neck, she forgave him. It only made sense that she would forgive Stefan for almost driving her off Wickery's Bridge.

- How can I promise something like that? - She whispered, tears welling up on her eyes once again - He was my boyfriend for a year, Damon, and he was also my friend. How can I promise you that I won't want him back in my life?

Damon looked away. He knew she had a point, but the idea of the two of them hanging out together made his jealous and insecure, both feelings that he wasn't used to have. He loved Elena and he trusted her more than he remembered ever trusting anyone after he became a vampire, but his feelings had been toyed with too much. He couldn't handle her going back to his brother.

But he wasn't about to admit that he was afraid that she would go back to his brother's arms. However, as he thought about the issue, he realized that there was no way around it. He couldn't be with her if he was going to become paranoid every time she hung out with Stefan, and living without her was not an option. With a suppressed sigh, he decided that he would need to tell her. He couldn't have it all. His pride would have to suffer a little bit, but he didn't mind as long as he got to be with Elena. It was well worth it.

- I just... I'm just afraid that you'll go back running to him. - He said, his voice an almost incomprehensibly low.

- Damon, no! If much, I'll be friends with him. He hurt me too badly, you know that. - Elena said, her hand reaching for his.

Startled by her move, he pulled his hand away from hers. As he saw the hurt look in her eyes, he scooted closer. He still wasn't sure if it was safe for him to allow himself to love her the way he wanted to, with the strength he felt it, to give himself over to her and let her see his feelings and take down the wall he had built around his mind, but he felt that he could start to let her in. He would rather get himself hurt than watch her suffer because of him, like he had suffered because of his love for her.

Damon captured her hand into his and squeezed it lightly, trying to show her that it had been just a reflex. He saw her muscles relaxing a bit and a small sparkle come to her brown eyes. At that, the smile that had been on his lips widened. Nothing mattered more to him that Elena's happiness. If he could give it to her, than he would. He just wanted to tread carefully.

His mind was still wrapping around the fact that Elena had actually said that she wouldn't date Stefan. He had been so worried that she would say that she still loved him and could forgive him that he hadn't even thought about what he would do if she told him that no, she would never go back to him.

The more he thought about it, the more he convinced himself that he shouldn't miss the opportunity of finally having Elena for himself. He had dealt with Katherine saying that she loved Stefan, he was sure that he could deal with her doppleganger leaving him the minute his brother came back. He hated being so afraid of getting hurt, he hated it that he was constantly watching his back for anything that could cause him more pain. Elena was constant threat, a shining sign that said heartbreak, but he loved her, and he was almost sure that he was willing to put himself in the line if it meant being with her.

- Kiss me. - He heard Elena say.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I hope you liked this chapter! Reviews are an incentive for posting faster, but not mandatory. I'd be very happy to read them, though.<strong>

**And thanks to those who alerted, favorited and/or reviewed!**


	4. Crystal Clear

Disclaimer: I don't think anyone believes I own The Vampire Diaries, especially since this a fanfiction website, but I'll clear it up and say that I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Four- Crystal Clear

Elena didn't know what led her to ask that question, but she didn't really care. For the first time in her life, what she needed to do was clear. She had to convince Damon that she wasn't going to be Katherine, that she wasn't going to leave him for Stefan the minute the latter decided to be himself again, to turn his feelings on. She knew the older brother had been hurt many times in his life, and thus he was more careful when it came to the people he loved, but she hadn't expected it to be so hard for him to accept that she was being honest and that she wouldn't change her mind about him. Elena was sure that he knew what she felt for him, but she had rejected him so many times before that it was understandable for him to be uneasy about her confession. She could only hope that the damage she had done was reversible.

She felt his gaze catching her eyes and suddenly his lips were desperately seeking hers. She responded to the kiss, trying to channel all what she felt for him through it, all the months of suppressing and ignoring how much she cared for him. If this didn't convince him, she didn't think anything would.

As they broke apart, Elena stared at him expectantly, waiting for his reaction. She knew the next few moments would define their relationship, telling her if he was going to reject her or embrace the feelings he had made a point of showing her. Her breathing became shorter and faster as he took his time to answer, his eyes locked on hers.

- I love you too. - He replied, a smile appearing on his lips.

Elena sighed in relief, but she didn't have enough time to say anything, as her lips were once again captured by Damon's. She kissed him back, enjoying each second as if she would never get to have another one, though she was constantly reminded that she could have as many seconds and as many kisses as she wanted.

They were forced to stop when Elena's phone vibrated on her pocket. She groaned in frustration and reached for it, momentarily considering just letting it ring until it either stopped or the call went to voice mail. But as several terrible scenarios popped up in her mind, she quickly grabbed her phone and looked at the screen.

_1 text from Bonnie_

_Elena, where are you? I thought we were meeting at the Grill at 3!_

Surprised, she glanced at her cellphone's clock, almost gasping when she saw that it was already past four in the afternoon. She sighed. Elena didn't like the idea of bailing on her friends, but she was really reluctant about leaving the Boarding House. She was having an amazing time with Damon.

- Sorry, I have to go. - She murmured to Damon, snuggling into his arms.

- It doesn't seem like it. - He pointed out with a chuckle.

Groaning, she got up from the couch. She knew that she would have to tell her friends about what had happened that day, and she wasn't looking forward to it. Neither Caroline nor Bonnie were very fond of Damon and, though she knew that in the end they would accept the fact that she had fallen in love with the older Salvatore and that there was nothing she could do about it, they wouldn't be very happy about it.

Shooting one last glance towards Damon, she opened the door and left the Boarding House. As she made her way to the Grill, she couldn't help but wonder how she would tell Stefan about all that. She knew she couldn't keep it a secret for too long, as he was still in Mystic Falls and therefore was bound to hear the gossip. She would rather he heard it from her, not from some complete stranger.

As she watched the Grill getting closer and closer, she became nervous. She wasn't in the mood for a discussion. All she wanted was to go back to the Boarding House and spend the remaining of the day with Damon. However, she knew that she would have to tell her friends sooner or later. This was too important for her to hide, and even if it wasn't, she hated hiding things from people.

Elena entered the Grill and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was to come. She spotted her friends in a far corner, waving at her.

- Where were you Elena? - Bonnie asked as Elena sat on a chair beside her.

- At the Boarding House, with Damon. - She explained - I had this dream last night and it made me realize that I can't keep lying to myself or to him, so I... I told Damon I love him.

She waited for Caroline and Bonnie to say something, her fingers nervously playing with her T-shirt. Her friends were staring at her as if expecting her to laugh and tell them she was joking, but as time passed and Elena kept looking at them with a worried frown, their expression changed to shocked.

- Elena, I know that you're attracted to him but are you really going to act on it? - Caroline said, coming out of her trance.

- He's... You're better than him, Elena. - Bonnie added.

Elena sighed as her predictions came true. She could only hope that the rest of it was true, that her friends would come to terms with the fact that she loved Damon, no matter what he had done in the past.

- Bonnie, I'm not better than him! He saved my life more time than I can count. Yes, he killed a few people but so did Stefan, and I'm not better than him, am I? - Elena raised her voice just slightly in irritation.

- Stefan changed! He became good enough for you! Damon hasn't. - Bonnie exclaimed.

- And now who's the one that's killing people? Stefan! - Elena counter argued.

Silence dawned on the agitated table as the girls found nothing more to say. Caroline and Bonnie's anger and concern could be felt in the air. Elena knew that they had a reason to be worried, that Damon had a history of breaking hearts and hurting people, both physically and emotionally, but she believed that he genuinely loved her. She hoped that her friends could at least see that she knew what she was doing, that she knew the risk she taking by admitting to Damon that she loved him.

- He's going to break your heart, Elena. - Caroline finally spoke up - I know that by experience. Just watch your back.

- We're your friends, and we're trying to keep you from getting hurt. - Bonnie said - If you decide to date Damon, then we'll tolerate him, like we always do. But please don't expect us to start liking him.

Elena nodded. She had known from the beginning that it would take time for either one of the girls to start actually liking Damon, if they ever did. Shifting uncomfortably on her seat, she waited for one of her friends to speak again, hoping that they would manage to change subjects.

- I think I'll head home. - Bonnie muttered, her eyes not meeting Elena's.

- I'll walk with you. I promised my mom I'd help her in the kitchen. - Lied Caroline.

Not waiting for an answer, both girls made their way out of the Grill. Elena waited until they were out of sight to go home, hoping that they wouldn't be as angry the next day. It had been hard enough for her to let Stefan go and admit her feelings to Damon without her having to deal with both her friends being upset.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Next chapter will be a lot more Delena-y. And thanks for all the amazing reviews!<strong>


End file.
